A city worker said he's being targeted by officials for blowing the whistle on the dumping of a giraffe corpse.Rocky Gutierrez is a union representative who is speaking on behalf of the solid waste worker who found the carcass of a city zoo giraffe last week in a trash bin.The remains were supposed to be taken to the landfill, but a zoo worker discarded the giraffe in a trash bin at the zoo.Upset over the circumstances, that worker leaked the story and pictures to the media.But now, the whistleblower is also under investigation. "We basically believe it's a gag order to keep him from speaking to the public about it," said Gutierrez.But the city has questions they want answered, such as why the solid waste worker had the animal's blood on his hands."What did he do with that carcass that would have given him that interaction?" asked Chris Ramirez, coomunications director for Mayor Richard Berry's office.Guiterrez said when the worker went to undo some latches on the trash bin -- in the presence of supervision -- the contents leaked."The employee went to grab them, and that's when he got the blood on his hands," said Gutierrez.City officials point out the solid waste worker isn't the only person under investigation.City officials said the zoo worker who was responsible for disposing of the giraffe in the landfill is being questioned and that the probe is not retaliatory against anyone.But Gutierrez maintains the worker he represents is being bullied into being quiet.Berry will be briefed Friday morning about the investigation. Officials said a decision then will be made about whether any disciplinary action will be taken.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

A city worker said he's being targeted by officials for blowing the whistle on the dumping of a giraffe corpse.

Rocky Gutierrez is a union representative who is speaking on behalf of the solid waste worker who found the carcass of a city zoo giraffe last week in a trash bin.

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The remains were supposed to be taken to the landfill, but a zoo worker discarded the giraffe in a trash bin at the zoo.

Upset over the circumstances, that worker leaked the story and pictures to the media.

But now, the whistleblower is also under investigation.

"We basically believe it's a gag order to keep him from speaking to the public about it," said Gutierrez.

But the city has questions they want answered, such as why the solid waste worker had the animal's blood on his hands.

"What did he do with that carcass that would have given him that interaction?" asked Chris Ramirez, coomunications director for Mayor Richard Berry's office.

Guiterrez said when the worker went to undo some latches on the trash bin -- in the presence of supervision -- the contents leaked.

"The employee went to grab them, and that's when he got the blood on his hands," said Gutierrez.

City officials point out the solid waste worker isn't the only person under investigation.

City officials said the zoo worker who was responsible for disposing of the giraffe in the landfill is being questioned and that the probe is not retaliatory against anyone.

But Gutierrez maintains the worker he represents is being bullied into being quiet.

Berry will be briefed Friday morning about the investigation. Officials said a decision then will be made about whether any disciplinary action will be taken.